The Americanization of Emily (1964)

Director:

Arthur Hiller

Writers:

Paddy Chayefsky (screenplay)
William Bradford Huie (novel)

Release Date:

27 October 1964 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | War

Tagline:

Why did Emily call Charlie the most immoral man she'd ever met?

Plot:

An American soldier's talent for living the good life in wartime is challenged when he falls in love and is sent on a dangerous mission.

Plot Keywords:

D Day | Beautiful Woman | Monument | Americanization | Cowardice

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

James Garner	...	Lt. Cmdr. Charles Edward Madison
Julie Andrews	...	Emily Barham
Melvyn Douglas	...	Adm. William Jessup
James Coburn	...	Lt. Cmdr. Paul 'Bus' Cummings
Joyce Grenfell	...	Mrs. Barham
Edward Binns	...	Adm. Thomas Healy
Liz Fraser	...	Sheila
Keenan Wynn	...	Old Sailor
William Windom	...	Capt. Harry Spaulding
John Crawford	...	Chief Petty Officer Paul Adams
Douglas Henderson	...	Capt. Marvin Ellender
Edmon Ryan	...	Adm. Hoyle
Steve Franken	...	Young Sailor
Paul Newlan	...	Gen. William Hallerton
Gary Cockrell	...	Lt. Victor Wade

Also Known As:

Emily (USA) (reissue title)

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System) | Stereo

Certification:

UK:X | Australia:G (TV rating) | USA:Approved (certificate #20611) | Canada:PG (video rating) | Spain:13 | West Germany:16 | Finland:K-7 (new rating: 2001) | Finland:K-8 | Sweden:11 | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The role of Lt. Cmdr. Charles E. Madison was originally offered to William Holden, while James Garner was considered for the part of "Bus" Cummings.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Charlie refers to war widows leading the Memorial Day parade. But the day was originally called Decoration Day, and wasn't changed to Memorial Day until after World War II was over.

Quotes:

Lt. Cmdr. Charles E. Madison: I'm not sentimental about war. I see nothing noble in widows.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "What's My Line?: (1964-10-25)" (1964)

Soundtrack:

Emily

A black comedy about the excesses of war set against the backdrop of D-Day.

I first saw this movie in 1964 at the Air Force base where I was stationed. At the time I thought it was an odd choice to show on base, but in those days, I guess the military wasn't so sensitive that they had to censor the films shown on base. The movie practically disappeared for 40 years, and I was pleased to see that it is now released on DVD. I watched the DVD this weekend and was happy to find that the film still seemed fresh and had aged very well.

Watching this movie reminds one of why James Garner and Julie Andrews became stars. They are both extremely likable and have good chemistry together. Garner's character, Charlie Madison, is just a rift on his Maverick TV personae, but is well suited to the character. Andrews, in a non-singing role, is luminescent. She plays a British war widow the way all Americans think of British women. It is a classic portrayal. The star of this film though, is the script by Paddy Chayefsky. Snappy, witty dialog and that strong dose of black humor amply illustrate why Chayefsky should be considered on of the finest script writers of all time. This is equal to his work in Network.

The DVD extras are sparse. There is a 6 minute 1964 MGM featurette on the filming of the Omaha Beach scene. It is only notable by comparison of Mr Garner's treatment during filming to how today's over-indulged, ego-inflated, and under-whelming movie stars are treated. Recommended.